Update Custom Property - saved by history

[Robert_L_Ross]

I have a problem with a Word doc. We have users that try to open the doc
while someone is working on it. They open a copy, then make their changes,
but instead of merging the changes, they overwrite the document.

I'm trying to find a way (maybe with custom properties?) that I can write a
macro that runs on save. This macro would updtae some kind of custom
property with who is saving and when. This property will build on
itself...so ever time it runs it updates the CustomProperty to CustomProperty
+ "|" + currentuser + currentdatetime.

Does anyone have any idea how I can tackle this? I'm kind of getting tired
of being the one blamed for not updating it when I'm the first one in and
everyone else keeps overwriting my changes.

Thanks!!

 

[Robert_L_Ross]

Update:
I realized that writing the last saved info to the custom property won't work.

This document is modified by multiple users, then saved. At the start of
every week, the prior file is copied and 'saved as'.

Because if this, the 'culprit' who keeps overwriting the file could still do
this. But, if I have the macro write to an external file (txt maybe?) I
could have it write the current file name, saved by (currentuser from the
Windows API?) and current date/time...letting me know who saved it when and
what version they saved.

See, if user jdoe opens filename1, makes her changes and saves the file as
filename2 at 8:10, then jbrown opens filename1, makes his changes and saves
the file as filename2 at 8:12am but just overwrites, then the file will be
missing jdoe's information, but this log would prove who overwrote the file.

The output file would look like this:
filename1 jsmith 20070801 08:00am
filename2 jdoe 20070801 08:10am
filename2 jbrown 20070801 8:12am <-- here's the culprit

 

[Russ]

Since not everybody is playing nice, maybe you need them to collaborate:

 

[Robert_L_Ross]

No offense Russ, but if I could get these people to collaborae, I wouldn't
have posted the question. I have not only explored collaborative programs
but I've already run some by our TSS department and received a 'no' to
installing an application to manage this process.

The probelm is that they don't realize they are doing it. If they paid
attention maybe we could stop it, but you can't prevent idiots from accessing
your documents.

Now, back to my question...

Is it possible to have a macro that writes an entry to some kind of log
(text file, excel document, anything) every time they save?